Muddymoles mountain biking in the Surrey Hills and Mole Valley

What’s your bogey trail?

Posted by Matt | March 25, 2009 | 9 comments so far

The other night’s ride over Holmbury and Pitch Hills turned up a couple of interesting comments on the ride report. Much to my surprise I found Colin admitting to not liking Barry Knows Best on Holmbury Hill, one of our best known and most ridden trails in the area.

It’s a twisting roller-coaster ride that takes you down toward Peaslake and is the result of much hard work from the trail pixies (OK, I think they’re called Redlands Trails!). Improvements continue in response to general wear and tear and requests from locals to keep mountain bikers a bit farther away from their homes which is understandable – for years now they’ve had to contend with hoards of riders hooning down the Waterfall section at the end.

It’s a pretty good trail in my book, even if truth be told I don’t think I’ve ever had the man beans to ride it properly all the way down. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve ridden all of it, including the techy Waterfall and the ‘easier’ shortcut at the bottom. But stringing it all together takes concentration, commitment and a fair fitness I think.

So I was surprised to hear Colin admitting he doesn’t care too much for it. Maybe because it’s claimed him a couple of times now and caused a couple of unpleasant injuries. Lee also admitted to liking it less than expected although I’m not sure that wasn’t just that ride.

I started wondering if there are any other trails the rest of us don’t particularly care for? I’ll get the ball rolling – Abba Zabba is something I can’t bring myself to try again after an off down there although I like the chicken run. And Collarbone, to no-one’s surprise continues to give me the wobblies when I ride past the scene of my accident.

What about the rest of our readers, what messes with your head? Leave a comment and let us know…

Filed under Lifestyle, Mutterings in March 2009

Matt

About the author

Matt is one of the founding Molefathers of the Muddymoles, and is the designer and main administrator of the website.

Having ridden a 2007 Orange Five for many years then a 2016 YT Industries Jeffsy 29er, he now rocks a Bird Aether 9 and a Pace RC-627.

An early On-One Inbred still lurks in the back of the stable as a reminder of how things have moved on. You can even find him on road bikes - currently a 2019 Cannondale Topstone 105 SE, a much-used 2011 Specialized Secteur and very niche belt drive Trek District 1.

If you've ever wondered how we got into mountain biking and how the MuddyMoles started, well wonder no more.

There are 9 comments on ‘What’s your bogey trail?’

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  1. Colin says:

    Yep, I REALLY don’t like BKB – you’re right – its given me a broken finger and a large scar on my shin from quite low-key crashes.

    I think its a victim of its own success. A few years back, without so many exposed roots, it must’ve flowed so well and would have been awesome.

    Other than BKB, my only other bogey trail is Yewtrees up on Polesden – I’m still convinced I’m going to have a big ‘un there one day.

  2. Nick (Easynow) says:

    Conversely I absolutely love bkb and the exposed roots.

    I went down it last week and it was bone dry and hard packed and I think I set a personal best. Its not so much fun when its slippery, but when its dry I could loop round and do it again and again. And I like the new changes that have been put in over the last few weeks as well.

    On Holmbury I’m not so keen on Yoghurt pots myself. That appears to have had a few changes recently and when I went down it last week the root drop off near the top seemed to have been removed?

    My real bogey tracks are anything full of freshly cut hawthorns…

  3. Jem says:

    It has to be DEATHSTAR, even the name haunts me. Never managed from top to bottom without some dodgy cycling going on.

    It’s probably to do with going in blind a few years ago on a Cycleworks night ride and flying over the bars on the transistion from gully to root’s and nearly being run over by Dave F from Leatherhead branch.

    Maybe ONE day I’ll clean it.

  4. Toby says:

    I went down BKB on Sunday with RudeBoy of STW fame(!) in hot persuit. I like it but it doesn’t flow as well as some – not that I’m the fastest singletrack rider about…

    As for Yoghurt Pots, I think that’s better than ever – I’m just so easily pleased! The rooty drop off that I know about is still there though there is a short cut which avoids it.

  5. Oliver says:

    I’m a BKB fan and have ridden it many times; although I’m yet to thunder down the final steep descent to the road – one day I’ll have the right idiocy:skill ratio and pull it off.

    As for ones I don’t like, Deliverance is a mental block as I’m yet to take the plunge, despite looking at it from the top a few times. (In my defense, the last time I was there I was getting married a few days later and I don’t think a big off would have gone down too well!).

  6. Marc says:

    I luuurve BKB but maybe I don’t ride it in such a hoon like fashion as others have the balls to do. The droppy roots are one of the things that really adds interest for me. Admitedly as I’ve ridden it faster and faster i’ve had a few of those moments when your heart stops, the bike seems to start to disappear from under you and you start praying.

    Agree with Oliver above – Deliverance is a no-no for me!

  7. Dave says:

    I’ve been giving this some thought and I guess it’s only really Abba Zabba that sends me cold and that only because of the massive weeping burn I got from it a few years ago. BKB I love, YP I love and lots of trails I hammer down with full knowledge it could be painful if I were to fail at any point. Blind Terror 2 (which I think if I’m being pedantic is was Jem is referring to) is OK if I’m in the right mood. Blind Terror in it’s original form is a no-no for me but I’ve only ever seen a handful of people actually ride it anyway.

  8. Colin says:

    Interesting debate – clearly I’m on my own with dsilike of BKB and oddly enough, I’m a big fan of Abba Zabba!

    Looks like I have RAS – Root Aversion Syndrome. DaveC, can you put your counselling skills to use with this condition?

  9. Dave says:

    Colin,

    I think you need to sit down and watch Antz (the film). In the section where Woody Allans character is talking about “being the ball” you just need to replace “ball” with “bike” and sing this mantra when approaching the roots in question.

    Easy, that’ll be £50, ta.

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